Community-focused health center opens on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh

WakeMed on Wednesday cut the ribbon on a new medical office that will provide care for people in underserved communities.

The Center for Community Health, located at 2600 New Bern Ave., was designed to reach people who have social barriers to health, such as homelessness, lack of insurance, lack of transportation and financial instability.

"We just want to build the next level of health and make sure that we don't leave anyone behind in our communities," said Dr. Neriss Price.

WakeMed leaders say it's a new, more holistic approach to care. The care team includes staff focusing on primary care, psychiatry, trauma-informed therapy, case management, homeless engagement assistance and resources and transitional health.

"You can't just treat problems. You have to treat the whole person," said Dr. Brian Klausner, who is medical director of the center.

He hopes many of the people who seeking non-emergency care in the WakeMed emergency department recognize the new center as a better option, better equipped to meet their needs.

"We are continuously trying to figure out how we can better stabilize the pathologies and the diseases and illnesses that our patients are suffering from when they land in our hospital," he said.

The center also partners with its next door neighbor, the Alliance Medical Ministry, to help share the load.

Executive Director Pete Tannenbaum says, "It's the human thing to do, to take care of people that need a hand up, not a handout.

With long standing health inequities, the challenges only continues to grow.

Officials say the space will provide care to 400 to 500 people each year, including people suffering from mental illness or chronic mental health issues.

There will also be a focus on community education and outreach.

Funding for the project comes in part from the WakeMed Foundation and the city of Raleigh through the ARPA Federal Grant program.